Dispenser with screw actuated follower



Oct. 18, 1949. J. wElsBAUM 2,485,467

DISPENSER WITH SCREW ACTUATED FOLLOWER Filed July 8, 194e Ev l 2/ 22 BY i Patented Oct. 18, yi949 DISPENSER wrrn scnEw Ac'rUA'rED FOLLOWER Jack Weisbaum, Cincinnati, Ohio Application July 8, 1946, Serial No. 681,899

The'jpresent invention relates to dispensing containers and is particularly directed to receptacles for' plastic materials 'such as tooth paste, shaving cream, lather soap, deodorant and salves. vAnother object of the invention is to provide a simplified dispensing and kclosure unit' adapted for insertion into the'open bottom of a non-collapsible'container after it has been lilled with plastic ltoilet preparations, and which in operative positiony within said 4container cooperates with the elements thereof to provide a sealed container having a positive dispensing action.

Other objects willbeapparent from the iollowing speciiication and drawings which illustrate the-preferred embodiment of my invention.

Inthe drawing: A

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken centrally through my dispensing container.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2of`r"",g.1.`.-v -1 f' Fig. 3 is a plan View of the bottom of my container. ,5 A y Fig. 4 isa fragmented, cross-sectional view illustrating a modied bottom` construction for the dispensing container shown in Figs. 1-3.

Figs. 56 and 7 are cross-sectional views similar to that of Fig. 2 illustrating various other wntainer forms with which my dispensing mechanism may be associated.

With particular reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing, my dispensing container is generally indicated by the reference numeral I and includes a receptacle for plastic materials having a noncollapsible, vertical wall II made from relatively thin metal stock, or the like. A top wall I2 is provided for the receptacle and tapers upwardly from the side wall Il to a reduced dispensing opening I3 which may have a smooth exterior surface for frictionally engaging the interior surface on a suitable cap I4.

The bottom I of the receptacle is originally left open so that my container can be inverted and filled with a plastic material through the upturned, open bottom or the receptacle may be completely assembled and filled through the dispensing opening I3. In the first instance my dispensing unit, indicated by the reference numeral I6, is inserted into the bottom of the receptacle and the bottom closure member I'l se. cured to the bottom of the wall II in a manner to be set forth hereinafter.

The bottom closure member I1 comprises a continuous web I8 which has the same crosssectional contour as the interior wall of the receptacle. flange I9 depends from the web I8, and as illusz claims. (ci. 222-390) A marginally disposed, downturned trated in Fig. 1, the lower edge of the web is crimped with the lower edge 20 of the wall II to form a sealed connection between the lower edges of the receptacle and the closure flange. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the flange I9 may remain straight and be secured to the lower edge 20 of the receptacle by pins, 2|, or other suitable iastening means. It will be noted that in either closure construction a recess 22 is formed in the bottom of the receptacle between the web I8 and the downturned flange I9.

Disposed within the receptacle for axial, nonrotative movement is a disc-shaped piston or plunger 23, said piston being formed out-ofround by oppositely disposed notches 24 cut in its peripheral edge. The notches cooperate with vertically disposed guides 25 stamped in the wall II of the receptacle and extend between the upper wall I2 and the web I8 of the bottom closure member. As indicated in Figs. 5-7 inclusive, the pistons may be disposed within containers having sidewalls which are out-oi-round, as for instance, a square shape indicated in Fig. 5, an oval shape illustrated in Fig. 6, or a polygonal shape illustrated. in Fig. 7. The piston 23 may have a V-shaped peripheral groove 230 formed therein and a similarly shaped continuous ring 23I positioned therein to preclude the passage of material between the wall II and said piston.

The piston is moved upwardly within the receptacle by a rotatable means which may take the form of a threaded shaft 26 disposed centrally of the receptacle and having a threaded connection with tapped bore 21 formed through the axial center of the piston 23. A reduced lower end 28 of the shaft passes through a journal bearing hole 29 formed centrally in the web I8 and has fixed to its outer end by means of a pin or screw 30, a manually rotatable key 3|. A suitable gasket 32 is embedded in a concentric recess formed in the upper surface of the web I8 around the journal bearing hole for forming a liquid tight seal between the shaft and the bottom closure member. l

To insure positive axial alignment of the shaft within the receptacle, a spider 33 is positioned within the receptacle and is provided with two radially extending arms 34 which are in surfacev contact with the side wall II of the receptacle and in abutment with the top wall I2 thereof. A journal bearing hole 35 is formed centrally in the spider and is adapted to receive the upper reduced end 36 on the threaded shaft.

My dispensing container is particularly adapted by certain features of its construction for machine filling operations which automatically indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 respectively. It will be noted that during the insertion of the unit into the receptacle the spider 33 is forced through-vf.

the plastic material and will be guided therethrough into its operative position indicated 'in- Fig. 1 by the opposed guides 25 formed in the receptacle side wall. In use, the cap` I 4 of the".

container would first be removed and the key 30 v' rotated an angular distance sufficient to dispense the Yamount of plastic material required through the dispensing opening I3. The operation would be repeated each time material was required until the plunger 23 had reached the spider 33, in which event, the entire container could be discarded or the piston could be returned to its original' position adjacent the web I8 and the container relled and again used in the manner set forth above.

It will be also noted that the key 30 is contained wholly within the recess 22 formed in the bottom of the container so that the container may be readily handled or manipulated in use, and may be deposited on a suitable supportingsurface without the interference of projecting, manually operable, dispensing elements.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing container for plastic materials of the type comprising -a tubular casing provided with opposed axially disposed guideA grooves formed therein and having an open bottom end and a closed top end, said latter end having a reduced dispensing opening therethrough, the combination of a bottom Yclosure member for the receptacle having a journal bearing hole formed therethrough, a, threaded shaft` having a reduced lower end extending through the bearing hole, a key fixed to said reduced ex- 4 tension of the shaft, a reduced upper end on the shaft, a spider disposed within the tubular casing adjacent its closed top end and having a central hub, a bearing hole formed in the hub for cooperation with the upper reduced end of the shaft, arms extending from the hub and having their extremities freely bearing against the internal surface of the tubular casing and in abutment with the top end thereof, said arms engaging the tubular casing on opposite sides of the guides, an axially movable piston in threaded engagement with the shaft and in sliding contact with the tubular casing, and notches formed in thev piston periphery for engagement with the vertical guides in the tubular casing.

2; A dispensing container for plastic materials lcomprising a tubular casing having a non-circular contour in transverse section and provided vwithv an open bottom end and a closed top end,

said top end having a dispensing opening formed,

therethrough, a bottom closure member for the casing having a journal bearing hole formed therethrough, a piston positioned within the casing for axial, non-rotative movement therein, a feed screw positioned coaxially Within the casing and having a reduced lower end extending through :the bearing hole, operating means fixed to said reduced extension exteriorly of the closure, a reduced upper end on the shaft, and a spider having a hub provided with a free bearing bore to receive the reduced upper end of the shaft, said spider having arms extending laterally from'the hub across the largest diameter of the casing and each arm having a free abutment with the interior upper surface of the casing adjacent the top wall.

I JACK WEISBAUM.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of' 'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

